13 November 2002
10 July 2002
13 March 2002
13 November 2001
11 July 2001
14 March 2001
SMAC did not meet in October 2000
SMAC did not meet in July 2000
26 April 2000
26 January 2000
27 October 1999
28 July 1999
28 April 1999
SMAC did not meet in January 1999
28 October 1998
28/29 July 1998
29 April 1998

13 November 2002 Meeting
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, invited SMAC to consider medical morale and to highlight the issues impinging on medical morale on both a local and national level. The Chair and Vice-Chair then commissioned papers from members on selected issues. Members were also informed by a presentation from Nigel Edwards, policy director at the NHS Confederation. Advice 3/2002, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in February 2003, together with the appendices, is available in the Reports and Advice section.

10 July 2002 Meeting

SMAC held a joint meeting with the Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee (SNMAC) to consider creative solutions to meeting clinical workforce shortfalls in the NHS.
Joint Advice 2002, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in December 2002

13 March 2002 Meeting

SMAC met to consider the following issues:

• Department of Health response to the Bristol Inquiry – the pace of implementation of the response has to be rapid to match the anticipated pace of implementing the NHS Plan. Al Aynsley-Green gave a presentation outlining the role and purpose of the Children’s Taskforce and National Service Framework to inform discussion.
  Advice 1/2002, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in June 2002
• Information Technology in the new NHS Department of Health – the priorities and speed of introduction of Information Technology and doctors’ perspectives and involvement. Presentations by Sir John Pattison on plans and principles, and by Dr Susan Benbow and Dr Mark Johnson on using an electronic personal record system informed the discussion.
  Advice 2/2002, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in June 2002.

Professor Alan Johnson retired as SMAC Chair. Dr Deirdre Cunningham was elected SMAC Chair and Mr Ken Nischal elected as Vice-Chair.

13 November 2001 Meeting

SMAC met to consider the following issue:

Doctors for the Future - with the apparent shortage of doctors to implement the NHS Plan, what could enable doctors to have satisfying careers in the future and what changes might be necessary in the ways they work

Advice 6/2001, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in June 2002, is available in the Reports and advice section.

11 July 2001 Meeting

SMAC met to consider the following issues:

Ensuring Clinical Workforce to Deliver National Priorities: Consideration of the clinical workforce implications of implementation of National policies, including pressures on specific specialties and services. What generalisable issues emerge and what can be done about them?

Advice 4/2001, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in November 2001, is available in the Reports and advice section.

Licensing and Prescribing of Drugs in Children: Consideration of Research, Licensing and Prescribing of drugs in Children.

Advice 5/2001, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in November 2001, is available in the Reports and advice section.

14 March 2001 Meeting

SMAC met for the first time following the conclusion of the quinquennial review.

The following issues were discussed:

Evidence into Practice: How practice can be changed once evidence is available and strong, authoritative guidance is published?

Advice 1/2001, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in July 2001, is available in the Reports and advice section.

Outcomes in High Risk Patients: Is the reporting of outcome measures making doctors reluctant to treat high-risk patients?

Advice 2/2001, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in July 2001, is available in the Reports and advice section.

Thresholds for Interventions: Variations in thresholds for treatments of common conditions can make huge differences in workload, waiting lists and costs.

Advice 3/2001, prepared following this discussion and submitted to Ministers in July 2001, is available in the Reports and advice section.

SMAC did not meet in July 2000

SMAC did not meet in October 2000

26 April 2000 Meeting

SMAC expressed concern the quinquennial review had not been resolved and stressed the importance of an urgent decision to be taken regarding the future role of SMAC.

SMAC approved the selection of technologies for consideration by the Managing Clinical Interventions Group and identified the need for appropriate allocation of resources to NICE to enable the timely production of appraisals and guidelines. The Chairman reported he had recieved positive feedback from MCIG of SMAC's contribution.

The Chairman agreed to represent SMAC at an 'Expert Patient's' Conference due to be held on 11th July.

SMAC considered and agreed to participate in further work to support the development of a commissioning framework for renal transplantation units. Individual members agreed to join a National Implementation Group to ensure that regional specialised commissioning groups were able to develop appropriate configuration based on the framework.

SMAC received a presentation on the Review of Workforce Planning - A Health Service of all talents: developing the NHS workforce and agreed to submit a response.

SMAC received a presentation from the Chief Economic Adviser and Chair of the National Beds Inquiry and agreed to submit a response.

SMAC considered a paper from the Department of Health about Confidentiality and Data.

26 January 2000 Meeting

SMAC received a presentation from Ms Judy Hargadon who, as part of the review team, outlined the work undertaken to complete a review of medical workforce planning. She highlighted many examples of existing good practice whilst recognising the many complex issues which it would be difficult to resolve.

SMAC raised the shortage of vaccines as a major ongoing problem and urged DH to consider longer-term solutions.

SMAC received updates on the ongoing work to implement Our Healthier Nation and the Horizon Scanning process.

SMAC considered a paper prepared by the Public Health Laboratory Service on confidentiality and data protection which whilst highlighting areas of particular relevance for surveillance also raised issues which equally affected others.

SMAC considered the consultation document Supporting doctors, protecting patients and agreed to respond in a letter to CMO (England).

SMAC agreed to extend the term of office for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman by six months. This would be in line with those members whose term of appointment was due to end on 31 March 2000 and who had been invited to continue to serve whilst Ministers considered the quinquennial review.

27 October 1999 Meeting

SMAC paid tribute to Professor David Baum, an active ex-officio member of SMAC, who had passed away and would be sadly missed.

SMAC noted that an HSC providing guidance on the treatment of impotence had been issued in August.

SMAC expressed concern at the delay in dissemination of the National Haemoglobinopathy Card, changes in medical staffing profiles and the delay in publication of the National Beds Inquiry.

SMAC considered a response to Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation, a paper prepared following a SMAC discussion group meeting on the provision of emergency contraception, horizon scanning and conflicts of interest.

SMAC received a presentation on GP vocational training - enhanced arrangements for general practice.

28 July 1999 Meeting

SMAC received updates on draft guidance on impotence/viagra, the response to the review of prescribing, supply and administration of medicines, the quinquennial review and waiting lists.

SMAC considered the Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation White Paper, its future involvement in the horizon scanning process and the provision of emergency contraception. SMAC agreed to undertake further work on these issues.

SMAC received a presentation from Professor Bellingham, Chairman of the NHS Information Authority.

28 April 1999 Meeting 

SMAC received updates on the issue of a universal haemaglobinopathies card, the forthcoming quinquennial review, clinical governance and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

SMAC agreed further work on the preparation of guidance to all professions on pre-operative testing, to respond to the Review of Prescribing, Supply and Administration of Medicines consultation document, a Code of Practice for Members, and that a meeting of the Changing Medical Practice Sub-group be arranged.

SMAC considered the current restriction on Hepatitis B infected health care workers in renal units.

28 October 1998 Meeting

SMAC discussed draft advice to Ministers on sildenafil that had been prepared with the help of an expert sub-group; the advice is being finalised in correspondence with members before submission by the Chairman to Ministers in confidence (since published, on 21 January 1999).

SMAC agreed to convene a meeting between interested Royal Colleges and researchers to discuss further action following the Health Technology Assessment report on routine pre-operative testing (met on 27 January 1999).

SMAC discussed new arrangements for clinical horizon scanning, including advance notice of changes likely to affect clinical practice (eg newly licensed drugs and new research evidence)

28/29 July 1998 Meeting 

SMAC held its biennial away-day on 28/29 July 1998. It discussed its own role and working methods, in addition to items of specific business.

SMAC discussed A First Class Service, including the proposed arrangements for future advice to the NHS on new drugs and technologies.

SMAC considered several specific drugs. It agreed advice to the Department of Health on paclitaxel and rivastigmine that had been prepared in sub-groups (not published); and set up a new sub-group to prepare advice on sildenafil.

29 April 1998 Meeting

 The Chairman welcomed five new members to the Committee - Professor Sir Cyril Chantler, Dr John Chisholm, Professor Brian Jarman, Mr James Johnson and Professor Colin Roberts. SMAC agreed a statement on Anti-Alzheimer drugs for immediate submission (published on 30 April). SMAC received a draft Report from the Antimicrobial Resistance sub-group and agreed that this could be submitted to Ministers after further editorial work (probably in July). SMAC also considered The new NHS White Paper, Our Healthier Nation Green Paper and Commissioning Specialised Services Consultation Document.

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